Machine



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

, T. O. DEXTER. PAPER REGISTERING MACHINE.

Patented Feb. 26

3 w, lllllmlllllllllllllllllfllllll INVENTORZ ATTORNEY WITNESSES:

(No'ModelJ' 3 Sheets-Sheet a.

. T. C. DEXTER.

PAPER REGISTERING MACHINE.

No. 534,819. Patented Feb. 26, 1895.

' 45 to the edges of the sheet, and therefore the lliv'rrntn S'ra'rns arnnr anion.

TALBOT O. DEXTER, OF FULTON, ASSIGNOR TO THE DEXTER FOLDER COM- PANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PAPER-REGISTERING MACHINE.

SIPEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 534,819, dated February 26, 1895.

Application filed May 19, 1894.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, TALBOT C. DEXTER, of Fulton, in the county of Oswego, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvementsin Paper-Registering Machines, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to appliances for au- IO tomatically registering sheets laterally after they have been received on the folding machine and arrested in their longitudinal movement by the side-guide, sometimes called endgage on said machine; and the invention has I5 more particularly reference to the electrically controlled registering apparatus shown in my application for Letters Patent, Serial No. 476,580, in which apparatus the sheet is registered by being drawn laterally until its edge is brought in contact with an electric circuit closing lever which causes the sheet-shifting mechanism to release its hold on the sheet. Said method of registering the sheet however is found unreliable in its effects owing to the fact that the edge of the sheet cannot always be depended-upon for accuracy of its designed distance from and parallelism with the printed portions of the sheet and in conveyance thereof the circuit closing lever does not always come in contact with the edge of the sheet at precisely the same point that was fed to the end-gage of the printing press. It is a well known fact that the sheets are not always square and that there is quite a difference in the lengths of the sheets as they are supplied by the paper mills, and in feeding the sheets twice to the printing press to print opposite sides thereof the, feeders guide is transferred from one side of the press to the other to permit the sheet to be fedthe second time in the same position endwise as in the first time of feeding. Hence there is more or less variation in the arrangement of the printed portions of the sheet in relation margins of the sheet cannot be depended upon for securing an accurate register in the folding machine. The aforesaid inaccuracy of the margins of the sheets is also frequently produced in cases where the sheets are out before they are folded.

The object of my present invention is to ob- Serial No. 511, 74s. (No model.)

viate the aforesaid defects by not depending on the margins of the sheets, but feeding to the folding machine sheets which are perforated at predetermined points simultaneously with the process of printing the sheets and thus having in each sheetthe perforations in precisely the same position in relation to the printed portions of the sheet, which perfora- 6o tions I utilize as guides for registering the sheets by my improved electrically controlled registering apparatus hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

In the annexed drawings Figure l is a plan view of a sheet-registering apparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical trans verse section on line Z, Z, Fig. 1. Fig.3 is an end view. Fig. 4 is an enlarged side elevation of the feeler and its carrier. Fig. 5 is partly a side elevation and partly a vertical longitudinal section of the gripper and its appurtenances on an enlarged scale. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 7 is a transverse section on line --X'X in Fig. 5, and

Fig. 8 is an enlarged longitudinal section on line YY- in Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A- represents the main frame of the paper folding machine. R"R- denote the sheet-folding rollers between which the paper is introduced by the usual blade not shown in this case.

act represent longitudinal bars which are arranged parallel over another set of bars not shown, which latter bars support and guide the paper in its approach to the sideguide or end-gage O which arrests the longitudinal movement of the paper prepara- 9o tory to being folded. Said end-gage is of a sufficient depth to receive throughit the bars -aaand subj acent bars. Before entering the sheet into the folding rollers tR-R--, it is necessary to accurately 5 adjust the sheet in its position so as to cause the printed pages to register when the sheet is folded. This Iaccomplish automatically and most accurately and expeditiously by my present improved electrically controlled I00 registering apparatus which in its operation does not depend on the margins of the sheet for the reasons hereinbefore stated.

My said improved registering apparatus is designed to receive the sheets of paper provided with perforations at predetermined points and produced by cutters set in the form in the printing press and thus causing the perforations to be in precisely the same position in relation to the printed portion of each sheet. To utilize these perforations for automatically registering the sheets, I employ the following essential mechanical and electrical elements or appliances, combined to operate as hereinafter more fully described, said elements being, first, suitable sheet-shifting mechanism drawing the sheet to one side after it has been arrested by the side-guide or end-gage C as before stated; secondly, a suitable feeler riding onthe laterally moving sheet on a line across the aforesaid perforation thereof; thirdly, an electric circuit maker and breaker actuated to close the circuit by the feeler entering the perforation of the sheet, and, fourthy, an electro magnet in the circuit with the aforesaid maker and breaker and by electric energy depriving the aforesaid sheet-shifting mechanism of its hold on the sheet to allow the same to be drawn between the folding rollers R-R. It is obvious that the detail construction of these elements and theirconnections admit of many modificationsand I therefore wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself in that respect. The annexed drawings however illustrate my preferred construction and combination of parts, in which- G- represents a reciprocating gripper which moves the sheetlaterally as hereinafter described.

brepresents a horizontal guide which is over the plane of the sheet to be registered and transversely in relation to the line of travel of the sheet toward the side-guide or end-gage O-. Upon the guide bis mounted the carrier D which is sustained longitudinallyadj ustable by means of a screwrod -c journaled in a suitable bearing on the frame -A and working in a nut caffixed to the carrier. The outer end of said screwrod is provided with a hand wheel c by which to turn it so as to set the carrier in its required position in relation to the perforation in the sheet, fed to the folding machine. To this carrier is connected a gravitating feeler dof any suitable shape to allowit to ride on the sheet to be registered and enter the perforation of said sheet as hereinafter described. For simplicity of construction I prefer to employ a vertical pin for said feeler, which pin slides in a vertical perforation in the carrier, by which it is sustained in the path of the aforesaid perforation of the sheet. By proper adjustment of the end-gage C the paper is arrested in such a position as to insure the perforation of the sheet to come under the feeler or pin -d during the registering of the sheet. To cause the pin to be automatically withdrawn from the perforation of the paper after the latter has been drawn laterally the requisite distance to register it, I pivot to the carrier D- a lever eand attach to said pin above the lever, a collar -d' by which the inner end of said lever when actuated, lifts the pin.

Parallel with the guide b is a rock shaft f which is mounted at its outer end in a suitable bearing secured to the frame -A and has its inner end supported in bearings --g-g on a yoke -g fastened to the carrier D- by an arm gto cause the said yoke to move with the carrier in the adjustment of the latter. Between the bearings -g-gis the sleeve 7tfrom which extends an arm --hthe free end of which lies across the top of the outer end of the lever e-. The sleeve of said arm is provided with a spline or feather h" which engages a longitudinal groove in the rock-shaft -f and thus causes the arm -72.- to partake of the rocking motion of the shaft, which motion is transmitted to the lever e which is thus caused to intermittently lift the pin d. The motion of the rock-shaft is so timed as to cause it to lift the pin --d immediately after it has entered the perforation of the sheet. Said motion of the rock-shaft is derived from a suitable rotary cam B- and an arm -B' fixed to said shaft and having its free end held in engagement with said cam.

In order to arrest the lateral movement of the sheet as soon as the pin has entered the perforation of said sheet,lemploythe following electric appliances for releasing the sheet from the gripper G.

--H- represents the electric battery.

-t'--z' are two terminals one of which is attached to the upper end of the needle d and the other is of the form of a thumb-screw adjustably connected to an arm D'-- attached to the carrier D. Said terminals are properly insulated from their respective supports as shown at 00 and constitute a circuit maker and breaker actuated by the feeler or pin d-, the circuit being broken by the raising of the pin dand closed by the dropping of said pin into the perforation of the sheet. The gripper has its lower jaw sustained in the plane of the sheet to be registered and to the heel of the jaw is pivoted a bracket -L- having one arm extending a short distance over the lower jaw of the gripper and to the free end of said short arm is pivoted the upper'jaw by an upwardly deflecting knuckle-joint j. The other arm of the bracket L rises and extends over the upper jaw and supports thereat the electro magnet N- whose armature N'- is attached to the top of the upper jaw. Said magnet is in the circuit with the maker and breaker -z'iand when said circuit is closed the energy of the magnet attracts the armature and thereby lifts the upper gripperjaw from the lower jaw as shown by full lines in Fig. 5 of the drawings. Consequently the gripper is opened to release the sheet as soon as the pin denters the perforation of the IIO sheet. The carrier -D- is always set in such a position as to cause the pin -d to traverse the perforation of the sheet during theoperation of drawing the same to one side by the gripper G. The sheet thus released is free to be drawn between the folding rollers RR.

In order to further open the gripper in its forward movement and thus allow the succeeding sheet to freely enter between the jaws as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 5 of the drawings, I form the bracket L with a downward projecting heel Z and connect the pitman 'P. to the outer end or heel of the lower jaw with a lost motion between them, which is effected by providing the pitman with a longitudinal slot sfor the reception of the pin s by which the pitman is coupled to the jaw. Said lost motion allows the pitman to bear on the heel Z- of the bracket and thus tilt said bracket in the forward movement of the pitman. The knuckle-joint jcauses the upper jaw of the gripper to be lifted by the tilting of the bracket.

To restrain the longitudinal movement of the lower jaw sufficiently to allow the pitman to tilt the bracket as aforesaid, I apply to the tops of the guides -OO on which the gripper slides, friction-plates rr which are secured to the guides by vertically adjustable screws -rr'-. Said plates bear on top of the slide iupon which the gripper is mounted, and by tightening said screws the friction-plates are made to bear with the requisite pressure upon the slide to retard the movement thereof. The pitman is connected to a suitable lever which is pivoted to the frame and actuated by a suitable rotary cam -T on the folding machine.

It will be observed that in the operation of my improved registering machine, I do not depend on the margins of the sheet for controlling the registering operation, but depend on perforations located invariably in the same position in relation to the printed portions of the successive sheets. Hence the registering of the sheets is perfectly accurate and reliable.

The sheets are fed from the feed-board to the folding machine by endless tapes traveling from the end of the machine adjacent to the feed-board to the folding rollers in the usual and well known manner.

The feed-board is provided with the usual adjustable side-gage which is set so that it will cause the sheet to reach its position with the perforation thereof somewhat to one side of the feeler or gravity-pin dand thus require the sheet to be subsequently shifted laterally to permit said pin to drop into the perforation.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. An electrically controlled registering apparatus designed to receive the sheets perforated at predetermined points, said apparatus being equipped with sheet-shifting mechanism drawing the sheet to one side, a feeler riding on the sheet in the path of the perforation thereof, an electric circuit maker and breaker actuated to close the circuit by the feeler entering the perforation, and a magnet in circuit with said maker and breaker and by electric energy depriving the shifting mechanism of its hold on the sheet as set forth.

2. An electrically controlled registering apparatus designed to receive the sheets perforated at predetermined points, said apparatus being equipped with sheet-shifting mechanism, a feeler riding on the sheet in the path of the perforation thereof, an electric circuit maker and breaker actuated to close the circuit by the feeler entering said perforation, a magnet in circuit with said maker and breaker and by electric energy depriving the shifting mechanism of its hold on the sheet, and a lever lifting the feeler from the sheet from the shifting mechanism.

3. An electrically controlled sheet-registering apparatus comprising sheet-shifting mechanism operated mechanically to move the sheet laterally, an electro magnet releasing the sheet from said shifting mechanism, a feeler riding on the sheet during the shift ing thereof and in the path of a perforation in the sheeta circuit maker and breaker actuated to close the circuit by the feeler, entering said perforation and thereby energizing the magnet to release the sheet.

4. An electrically controlled sheet-registering apparatus comprising a gravitating pin riding on the sheet in a path across a perforation in the sheet, a circuit maker and breaker actuated to close the circuit by the pin entering the perforation, a normally closed gripper drawing the sheet laterally, and an electro magnet opening the gripper as set forth.

5. In an electrically controlled sheet-registering apparatus, the combination of sheetshifting mechanism, a carrier sustained stationary over the plane of the sheet, a gravitating pin supported on said carrier and riding normally on the sheet in a path across a perforation in the sheet, electric terminals secured respectively to the carrier and to the pin, and brought in contact by the pin entering the perforation, an electro magnet energized by contact of the aforesaid terminals and thereby depriving the sheet-shifting mechanism ofits hold on the sheet, and a lever lifting the pin out of the perforation as set forth.

6. In a sheetregistering apparatus designed to receive the sheets perforated at predetermined'points, a carrier supported over the plane of the sheet and adjustable laterally in relation to the line of feed of the paper, a feeler supported on said carrier and riding normally on the sheet in the path of the perforation, sheet-shifting mechanism drawing the sheet laterally, an electric circuit, a circuit maker and breaker actuated to close the circuit by the feeler entering the simultaneously with the release of the sheet perforation in the sheet, an electro magnet depriving the shifting mechanism of its hold on the sheet, and a mechanically operated 1ever timed to lift the feeler and break the circuit simultaneously with the action of the magnet as set forth.

7. In a sheetregistering apparatus designed to receive the sheets provided with registering perforations, the combination of a horizontal guide over the plane of the sheet, a carrier mounted longitudinally adjustable on said guide, a gravitating feeler connected to said carrier and riding normally on the sheet for the purpose set forth, an electric circuit, electric terminals respectively on the carrier and feeler and closing the circuit by the descent of the feeler, a lever pivoted to the carrier for lifting the feeler, a rock-shaft parallel with the aforesaid guide, a rock-arm longitudinally adjustable on the rock-shaft and actuating the aforesaid lever, sheet-shifting mechanism drawing the sheet laterally, and a magnet in the circuit depriving the shifting mechanism of its hold on the sheet when the circuit is closed as aforesaid.

8. In a sheetregistering apparatus designed to receive the sheets perforated for registering, the combination of a horizontal guide over the plane of the sheet, a carrier mounted longitudinally adjustable on said guide, a nut fixed to said carrier axially parallel with the guide, an adjusting screw mounted upon the frame and working in the aforesaid nut, a rock-shaft parallel with the guide, a yoke mounted loosely on the rockshaft and attached to the carrier to be adjusted simultaneously therewith, and an arm connected to the rock-shaft by groove and feather and connected with the yoke to be adjusted thereby, a feeler riding normally on the sheet, a lever pivoted to the carrier and actuated by the aforesaid rock-arm to lift the feeler from the paper, and sheet-shifting mechanism moving the sheet laterally to allow the feeler to enter the perforation of the sheet as set forth.

9. The combination of a carrier supported over the plane of the sheet, a gravitating feeler on said carrier riding normally on the sheet to enter a perforation therein, an electric circuit, a circuit maker and breaker actuated to close the circuit by the feeler entering the perforation of the sheet, a reciprocating gripper having its lower jaw sustained parallel with the plane of the sheet, a bracket pivoted to the heel of said jaw, the upper jaw connected to the bracket by an upwardly flexible knuckle joint, an armature on the top of said jaw, an electro magnet supported over said armature by the aforesaid bracket, a pitman connected to the heel of the lower gripper-jaw with a lost motion between them to allow the pitman to tilt the aforesaid bracket rearward during a portion of the forward movement of the gripper, a lever actuating said pitman, a lever pivoted to the aforesaid carrier for lifting the feeler, a rock-shaft, and a rock-arm on saidshaft actuating the latter lever as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name this 8th day of May, 1894.

TALBOT o. DEXTER. [n 3.]

Witnesses:

DE WITT O. WELD, J r., GEORGE O. MOON. 

